


ellipsis because everyone's a little confused

by cluecumber



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: I feel like this is OOC, I gave Jack a lisp because cute, Jack and Henry being friends, M/M, Rossi a real one, Spencer may have an iq of 185 but he can be slow, i continue to struggle with tenses, like the whole thing is but i think the ending is more ooc, they all figure it out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:20:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25107628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cluecumber/pseuds/cluecumber
Summary: how the others found out about reid and hotch
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid
Comments: 2
Kudos: 185





	ellipsis because everyone's a little confused

**Author's Note:**

> the one where everyone finds out + their own little discussion at the end

Jack sat on the couch in front of the living room window, watching the street for his ride home. He was being very patient, only bothering Jj once.  
"Ith papa coming soon?" Jack asked, his lisp making Jj grin.  
"Yes, he should be here very soon."  
Not even a minute after her response, the sound of wheels on gravel filled the air. Jj looked towards Jack, who was frowning.  
"What's wrong, you thinking of staying longer?"  
"No, that's not papa." Jj looked out the window to see Hotch stepping out of the black suv.  
"That's your dad, right?"  
"Yeah, that's daddy, but I was waiting for papa."  
"...Who's papa buddy?"  
"Papa Spenther."  
Jj froze and stared. She probably scared Jack with how long she was just staring at him. Until there was knocking at the door and she snapped herself out of it, helping Jack get his things together. Henry ran out of his little brother's room when he heard the front door open, saying hi to Uncle Aaron and bye to Jack.  
"Thank you for watching him Jj."  
Jj felt like she was still staring,"Uh, yeah no problem, gives Henry someone to play with who's actually responsive." Hotch nodded and chuckled.  
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow?"  
"Yeah, see you."  
"Bye."  
Jj stood in the doorway, with Henry hugging her leg, and just watched Hotch drive off.  
"...Huh."

Rossi looked across the round table to see that Hotch actually laughed at Morgan's little remark. Hotch laughs yeah, maybe once every 4 years. But Hotch laughing at the round table happened...never. Rossi reminded himself to ask Hotch who's been doing him so well.

After Hotch's "Wheels up in 30" announcement, Rossi followed him into his office, closing the door behind them.  
"Can I help you Dave?" Hotch sat down at his desk.  
"Actually yes, you can."  
"How so?"  
"I would like to know, who you've been doing that's been making you so happy recently."  
"Excuse me?" Hotch's voice was covered in mock offense, but Rossi saw right through it.  
"You know, who's the lucky lady that's putting you in this good mood. I mean, you just laughed at Derek's joke, and at the round table."  
"I can fire you, you know."  
"Yeah, you can, but you won't."  
Hotch raised his eyebrow at Rossi.  
"Fine, since you need to know, it's Spencer." Hotch expected some long winded talk about how Spencer was a subordinate, or about how he's younger than Hotch, but instead he got,"...Well that was unexpected."  
"Mhm." Hotch sat, still waiting for the lecture.  
"But, if he's been able to make you like...this, then I'm happy for you guys."  
Hotch looked into Rossi's eyes, for any kind of sign he was joking around.  
"Thank you. Please don't say anything to the others, Spencer was hoping to tell them on his own."  
"I cross my heart."  
"Thank you."  
With that, Rossi walked out of Hotch's office, and retrieved his go bag from under his own desk.

Morgan knocked once on the front door before unlocking it with the spare key. Penelope quietly called,"Spencer, we're here!" and the response was a quiet groan from behind the bedroom door. Spencer had called Derek after he was sent home with a migraine. He asked if he was able to bring pain medication and lots of water to his apartment and Derek said he could. Then he told Garcia he was heading out early to help Spencer and she wanted to tag along. Derek grabbed the case of water off the floor while Penelope grabbed a glass from the kitchen cabinet and opened the bottle of pain killers. Derek ripped the plastic off, and started loading Spencer's fridge with the bottles. Penelope stole one from his hands, giggling at his shocked reaction. She poured the water into the glass after adding ice, and threw the empty plastic into Spencer's recycling bin. She grabbed the water and meds, softly knocking on the bedroom door. It opened a few seconds later, Spencer stepping out from the dark room wearing a shirt that definitely wasn't his to begin with, and long pajama pants. Penelope held out her hands for him, and he took both objects, popping a pill into his mouth before chugging the water. Penelope just stood there, feeling sorry for the boy, feeling sorry that he had to deal with migraines this painful. He took a last gulp, thanking Penelope as she took the glass and bottle from him.  
"You're welcome sweet boy, get well soon." She smiled. He smiled back, closing his door. Penelope gave Derek the bottle while she washed the glass out. Derek put the bottle right next to the fridge, before wandering around the small living room.  
"Hey Pen, what's this?" Derek picked up a small silver band.  
"Hm, I don't know. Doesn't Spencer not like wearing jewelry."  
"Yeah, I think he told me about how he doesn't like the way it feels on his skin."  
"...Then why would he just have a ring lying around?"  
"I have no clue." They both continued to stare at the band. Eventually they decided they really had no clue, so they locked up and left Spencer's apartment.

Come a couple of days later, Spencer was back and Penelope gave him a big hug before announcing they all needed to be at the round table. Everyone was sat in their normal seats, Penelope standing to present their case. That's when she saw it. Hotch wearing a silver band. Weird, she thinks, he's not married...is he? Unless that's just his ring from his marriage with Haley, but she was pretty sure that one was engraved on the outside. She quickly looked away, getting back to the case at hand. 

"Wheel's up in 20." Hotch dismissed them. Penelope quickly latched onto Derek's arm, pulling him towards her bat cave. The whole way there Derek was asking,"What's wrong baby girl? What's going on?" Once the door was closed, she pulled him all the way in, and began whispering.  
"I think I know why Spencer has that ring."  
"Why."  
"I don't know if this is just a coincidence or not, but Hotch ha-"  
"Hold on, hold on," Derek cut her off," Hotch?"  
"Yes!", she slapped his arm,"Let me finish! Hotch has a silver band on, I saw him wearing it at the round table. And I don't think that's his wedding ring from Haley cause I'm pretty sure that one was engraved."  
Derek just stared at her.  
"I just, I never thought it would be them two, you know."  
Penelope nodded. She checked her watch quickly, before pushing Derek out.  
"Ohmygod we've been in here 10 minutes, you gotta go!"  
"Okay, okay, I'll see if I can call you at the hotel or something, maybe with some updates." Derek winked, making Penelope giggle.

The whole team was absolutely beat. This case took almost a whole work week, and they barley got any sleep, unless you counted spacing out at the coffee machine as sleeping. The only two flights back were right after they finished, or early as hell the next day. Everyone voted heading home immediately, allowing them to get some sleep on the jet. So there they were, everyone passed out somewhere on the jet. Rossi sat at the back, his head leaned back, his light snoring easily heard across the jet, Jj using her arms as a pillow as she stretched across the couch, and Derek sitting at the front of the jet with his headphones in on full blast. Hotch and Reid sat in the front of the jet, across the isle from Derek. And Emily, sat in the seats right behind them. Emily assumed Hotch was working on paper work, and maybe Spencer had volunteered to help him. They were talking a little, Emily payed no attention, half asleep until her imagination shocked her awake. A vision of the nightmare she had the night before they left. She tried not to alarm anyone else, and attempted to go back to sleep. She closed her eyes and tried everything, the sheep just didn't want to be counted. So she decided to listen to the boy's conversation, hoping it was boring enough to knock her out. She closed her eyes, it was pretty boring. Spencer was just talking about stuff he learned from one of the witnesses, some statistics, random facts, just regular Reid stuff. Until Hotch started talking. Hotch's voice had gotten significantly quieter, but it was dead silent (except for Rossi's snoring) on the jet, so Emily heard everything clearly.  
"Do you still have clothes at my place? Since the drive to yours is longer I was thinking you could just stay with me?" Emily's eyes snapped wide open.  
"I think I do, but if not I could always just steal yours." Emily could hear the smile in Spencer's voice, and could imagine the small grin on Hotch's face.  
"My place it is then." That's where it ended. Emily sat there, wide eyed, feeling like she had just walked in on a private moment (even though she technically did).

Later that week, Emily couldn't take it anymore. When she walked into the bullpen, she grabbed the first person she saw and dragged them into the round table room. That person was Jj.  
"Em? What's wrong?"  
"I don't know if I'm allowed to talk about this but, I've been thinking about it for days."  
"Are you okay? What is it?" Jj was extremely worried for Emily.  
"Last week, the case that drained us, on the way back, I was the last one awake with Spencer and Hotch, but I'm pretty sure they thought I was asleep." Emily looked into Jj's eyes and saw some kind of recognition.  
"What, what is it?"  
Jj just continued staring,"Keep talking Em."  
"Okay, well they were talking, or, Spencer was talking, just the usual, and then Hotch spoke up and. And he asked if Spencer wanted to stay at his place for the night."  
"Oh my gosh." Jj breathed out.  
"What? What is it?"  
"I was watching Jack a couple of weeks ago and he asked if "Papa" was coming, and I assumed that was just another name for Hotch but when Hotch arrived Jack said he wasn't his papa. And I asked who papa was and he said it was Spencer." It was Emily's turn to just stare. Emily quickly whipped her head to look out the large window to see Penelope, Derek, and Rossi staring up at them. It must've looked like a serious conversation, they all looked concerned.  
"Do you think they saw anything?" Emily whispered. Jj shrugged. Before they could call them over Penelope burst through the door, the boys following behind her.  
"What's happening?" Penelope asked, worried.  
"Oh uh, we were just, uh, just talking." Emily stuttered, making Rossi raise a brow.  
"You sure?" He asked.  
"We think Spence and Hotch are, together." Jj whispered. Penelope's eyes immediately widened.  
"Ohmygod that's what me and Derek thought!"  
Emily looked back in forth between them.  
"Really?" They both nodded, sharing their little anecdotes from when they started their speculations. Rossi stood there the whole time, silent.  
"What about you Rossi, see anything suspicious happen?" Derek asked. Rossi just stood there, silent.  
"Oh he knows something doesn't he?" Penelope asked, looking right at him,"You know something don't you?"  
"I don't know a thing." He simply stated. Before anyone could shoot their questions at him, Hotch and Reid walked into the bullpen. Jj's eyes widened, shushing the rest of the room. Spencer locked eyes with her, giving her a confused look. Then Hotch and Spencer were making their way up. Hotch stopped outside of the door, reading the atmosphere.  
"You guys know, don't you." He said flatly. Spencer just stood behind him, a confused look on his face as he held onto the strap of his bag.  
"They've got you all figured out." Rossi said, putting his hands up. Spencer looked around the room, everyone was just staring at him and Hotch.  
"What's going on?" He asked, still confused. No one answered him. The smartest man in the room, and he couldn't figure this out. He took another look around the room, and took a look at himself. He was wearing his normal work attire. Nothing out of the ordinary on him. Then he took a look at Hotch, he looked normal too. They always made sure to check that the other looked fine after they—oh. Spencer's eyes darted straight up to look at Hotch, who was already looking at him, waiting for him to figure it out.  
"They are a group of profilers." He shrugged. Spencer's blush just darkened.  
"So, how long?" Derek broke the silence. They all stared at Hotch for the answer, who in turn looked at Reid for the answer.  
"Uh, 11 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days."  
Everyone just nodded.  
"Well, congrats!" Penelope threw her hands in the air and Spencer loosened up a little. Everyone began voicing their happiness for the couple, and Spencer almost dropped to the floor. It was overwhelming, their praises and congratulations. Hotch just grabbed his hand and smiled at him. Spencer felt  
his face start to cool down, and he smiled as all of his closest friends pulled him into hugs.


End file.
